Sunday, 23rd May 2010

Walk:

The planned walk had to be cancelled so a small
contingent went to the Settle to walk in 'Limestone Country'.
Langcliffe, Jubilee Cave, Victoria Cave, Attermire Scar, Sugar Loaf
Hill, Cleatop Park, Ribble Way.

Start Point:

Langcliffe car park

Grid Reference:

SD 823 654

Distance:

10.3 miles

Ascent:

1,600 feet

Time:

6 hours

Weather:

Hot and sunny with a welcome
breeze at times

Comments:

5 of the group joined me on a walk
planned to take account of the hot weather and the likelihood that
there would be a lot of people in popular areas and on the M6.
Consequently we headed East and parked in the small village of
Langcliffe. We headed up the Malham road - with complaints about the
steep climb straight from the car!!! Before long some of the group
enjoyed the great view from Jubilee Cave while the rest of the group
explored the extent of the cave - but decided not to try out the
back entrance! From here we continued to Victoria Cave, but took
note of the warnings and did not enter cave itself. Walking on past
Attermire Scar John tried, in vain, to locate Attermire Cave which
was, possibly, at a higher level than those explored. Continuing on
a lovely green path we made our way past Sugar Loaf Hill and located
a grassy slope with good views for our morning break. From here we
could see Lambert Lane where, as John informed us, there were
passages that led under the track, linking fields without the need
for gates. We then headed through Cleatop Park before turning North
and joining the Ribble Way. It was a pleasant walk alongside the
river to Stackhouse and back across by the weir to Langcliffe.

Scroll down to see photos of the walk

The road led steeply up from Langcliffe to give good views over the Ribble
Valley

The entrance to Jubilee Cave . . .

where John . . .

Kath . . .

and Phil decided to make further explorations - along with Eric who managed to
avoid the camera!

The entrance to Victoria Cave was so named because it was discovered in 1837,
the year of Victoria's coronation

The entrance is artificial - the result of extensive excavations which have
unearthed a wealth of archaeological remains, from Romano-British artefacts (3rd
and 4th C) to Stone Age implements and from a pre-Ice Age layer the bones of
grizzly bear, reindeer, hyena, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant and wild ox.